I can't find the will

The fifteen places people actually keep wills

Home filing cabinet, desk drawers, fireproof safe.

Safe deposit box at the bank — though some states require a court order or special procedure to open it after death.

With the lawyer who drafted it. Call any attorney the decedent worked with, especially the one who handled real-estate closings or trusts.

On file with the probate court, register of wills, or surrogate's office in some states (a will deposit, while the person was still alive).

Online estate-planning service account — LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer. Check the email archive for activation messages.

With the executor named in the will, if it isn't you.

With a financial advisor or accountant.

If you find a copy but not the original

Most courts strongly prefer the original. A copy can sometimes be admitted to probate, but the procedure is more involved and the outcome is less certain.

Don't sign, modify, or staple the copy. Bring it to a probate attorney as-is.

If there is no will

The estate is administered under your state's intestate succession rules. The court appoints an administrator (often a close relative) and the assets pass according to a statutory order — typically spouse and children first.

You'll petition for Letters of Administration instead of Letters Testamentary. The procedural steps are otherwise similar.

This is also when family disagreements get loud. A neutral probate attorney is worth the cost.